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Local Crime Report for Friday August 28, 2015

8/29/2015

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:

Christopher Martinez, age 31, was arrested on a District Court warrant for failure to appear and on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear… and Fernando Sanchez, age 27, of Columbus, was cited for driving an off-road vehicle on a public roadway, driving while license was suspended or revoked and no insurance.

Also… a generator valued at $500 was taken from a motel off East Pine… and a bicycle and weed-eater, with a combined value of nearly $150, were taken from a location off South Tin.

Healing House Undergoes “Project Green”

8/29/2015

Yolanda Barajas alongside the new garden at the Healing House.

(Deming) – Luna County’s Healing House has undergone “Project Green.”

     The Healing House is a domestic violence shelter operated by Luna County.

     Since March, volunteers and staff have been working to paint walls, trim and hardware while transforming bare soil into gardens.

     Program director Irene Trejo said businesses and community members stepped forward to help them create an environment more conducive of healing.

     She said they have created a caring environment that feels more like a home than a domestic violence shelter.

     Trejo said their garden went from weeds to growing a variety of fruits and vegetables.  And she said they have six different kinds of flowers and grass growing so the children of their clients can play outside.

     Also, a survivor tree has been planted to honor the strength and resilience of families who stay at the shelter and to symbolize their ability to flourish after hard times.

     Financial donors included Gamboa Landscaping, Foxworth-Galbraith Lumber Company, Sun Valley Do-It-Best Hardware and the Cell Phone Repair Shop, along with The Friends of the Healing House – a volunteer board with its mission to support the Healing House, and several individuals.

     Aside from financial support, over 450 volunteer hours have been provided by 16 volunteers.

     The shelter is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Services are available for men and women.

Local Crime Report for Thursday August 27, 2015

8/27/2015

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:

Charles Underwood, age 34, was arrested for retaining stolen property, conspiracy and on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear… James Pollock, age 30, was arrested for larceny, retaining stolen property and conspiracy…

Kevin Cordova, age 24, was arrested on two Magistrate warrants – one for failure to appear and one for failure to pay fines… Ramiro Canales, age 52, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to appear… Anthony Morales, age 39, was cited for shoplifting at Walmart… Adam Cordova, age 25, was cited for shoplifting at Walmart… and a 14-year-old girl from Mexico was detained on a warrant for a probation violation.

Luna County Commissioners Table LCROA Property Purchase

8/27/2015

(Deming) – On a two-to-one vote Thursday morning, the Luna County commissioners tabled a proposal by County Manager Charles “Tink” Jackson to pay $20,000 more for the Luna County Ranchette Owners Association property than it sold for two months ago.

     All three commissioners expressed concern about the county’s tight budget in terms of purchasing a property and speculating that the purchase might help get future grants to assist residents in the Rockhound Road area.

     Jackson was requesting the county pay Van Jacobsen and Robert Turner $135,000 for the five-acre property, located at 5830 LCROA Road, which the two men purchased at an on-site auction June 13th, 2015, for $115,000.

     Commissioner Javier Diaz moved to table the issue until staffers could research a federal program to offer tax incentives to Jacobsen and Turner if they sold the property to the county below market value.

     Commissioner Joe “Oleo” Milo seconded the motion, and the motion carried.
     Commissioner Linda Smrkovsky voted against the motion to table, indicating that she would like to vote down the proposed purchase.

     Smrkovsky said that considering the county’s current budget, the commissioners needed to be good stewards of taxpayers’ money and she didn’t feel it was prudent to buy the property at this time.

Local Crime Report for Wednesday August 26, 2015

8/26/2015

(Deming) – Here’s the area crime report:

Dusty Lopez, age 31, of Gila Bend, Arizona, was arrested for DUI… William Jones, age 54, was arrested on a Magistrate warrant for failure to appear… Jose Ventura, age 64, was arrested on a Dona Ana County warrant for failure to appear… Anna Vega, age 39, was arrested on a Municipal warrant for failure to pay fines… and Adrian Granillo, age 25, was cited for dogs at large and unvaccinated animals.

Also… a 27-year-old Deming man reported being the victim of identity theft after learning two accounts with debts totaling $600 were opened in his name without authorization… cement bags, flooring and other items, with a combined value of approximately $200, were taken from an unoccupied home off Fourteenth Street… a bicycle valued at over $100 was taken from a location off West Second… and a window was broken on a home off West Broadway in Columbus.

KLCB Seeking Advisory Board Members

8/26/2015

(Deming) – Luna County is accepting letters of interest for representatives to serve on the Keep Luna County Beautiful Advisory Board.

     Anyone interested in serving on the Keep Luna County Beautiful Advisory Board should submit a letter of interest by Thursday, September 3rd, 2015, to:

Glory Juarez… 700 S. Silver Avenue… Deming, NM  88030… or email to glory_juarez@lunacountynm.us.

     Again, letters or emails need to be received by Thursday, September 3rd.

Luna County Wants to Buy LCROA Property

8/26/2015

(Deming) – Luna County government officials want to buy the Luna County Ranchette Owners Association property from two men who have owned it just over two months.

     The five-acre property, located at 5830 LCROA Road off Rockhound Road which includes a hospitality house built in 1979, was sold at an on-site auction June 13th, 2015, for $115,000.

     A Luna County official reportedly bid at the auction, but was not the highest bidder.  The Luna County Assessor’s office lists the new property owners as Van Jacobsen and Robert Turner.

     Now the county commissioners are meeting in special session Thursday at 9 a.m. for the purpose of authorizing County Manager Charles “Tink” Jackson to purchase the former LCROA property from Jacobsen and Turner.

     Emails to Jackson requesting information on the county’s interest in the building and purchase price were not immediately answered.

     Commissioner Javier Diaz said the county wants to buy the property because there are grants available to help with colonias projects in the area, and because they would like a smaller venue to offer to the public as a rental when the Mimbres Valley Learning Center is too large.

     Diaz said they estimate the county could make up to $20,000 a year on renting the facility.

     If the county purchases the property, however, there would be some loss of tax revenue since government entities do not pay property tax.

     Reportedly, the LCROA Association holds the note on the property and would have to give permission for the property to be sold again.

FamilyPasses Available in Deming

8/25/2015

(Deming) – Deming residents can now visit Marshall Memorial Library to check out a pass good for free admission to 15 state museums and historic sites.

     Governor Susana Martinez unveiled the new pass last week at a news conference in Albuquerque.

     Created by the Department of Cultural Affairs and New Mexico State Library, the New Mexico FamilyPass admits up to six people to some of the state’s best attractions.

     Three FamilyPasses are available for check out by library card holders in good standing at Marshall Memorial Library.

     Borrowers must be over the age of 18 or have a parent or guardian with them to sign the borrower agreement when checking out a FamilyPass.

     The pass can be checked out for one week with no renewals.

     The FamilyPass offers access to a diverse selection of cultural experiences. The Department of Cultural Affairs runs four museums in Santa Fe, two museums in Albuquerque, the New Mexico Space History Museum in Alamogordo, the New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum in Las Cruces and seven designated historic sites around the state.

     For locations and museum and historic site information, visit the website: www.newmexicoculture.org/visit.

     The pilot program will run from now until August 31st, 2016.

Workers Compensation Forum Next Wednesday

8/25/2015

(Deming) – There will be a public forum in Deming to discuss a recent appellate court decision that now requires agricultural employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage for their workers.

     Officials with the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration will attend the forum on Wednesday, September 2nd, at 3:30 p.m., at the Luna County Courthouse, 701 South Silver Avenue.

     Reportedly, the forum will provide an opportunity for both workers and employers to ask questions on the change in the law.

     The New Mexico Court of Appeals ruled on June 22nd, 2015, in consolidated cases brought forth by two agricultural workers, that a provision of the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Act which exempted agricultural laborers from mandatory coverage is unconstitutional.

     The appellate court decision means that employers with three or more agricultural workers must comply with the Act and obtain workers’ compensation insurance.

     Again, officials with the New Mexico Workers’ Compensation Administration will be in Deming Wednesday, September 2nd, at a public forum to discuss the recent appellate court decision that now requires agricultural employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage for their workers.

     The forum will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the Luna County Courthouse, 701 South Silver Avenue.

Perez Sentenced for Meth Conviction

8/25/2015

Anthony Perez, 41

(Deming) – A Deming man was sentenced Monday in federal court in Las Cruces to 60 months in prison followed by four years of supervised release for his methamphetamine trafficking conviction.

     A media release said 41-year-old Anthony Perez was arrested in February of last year on a two-count indictment charging him and co-defendants 41-year-old Rebecca Torres and 30-year-old Matthew Peña, both of Deming, and Robert Snow, now deceased, with distributing methamphetamine.

     Count 1 of the indictment charged Peña and Torres with distributing meth in Doña Ana County on June 18th, 2013, and Count 2 charged Peña, Snow and Perez with distribution of meth in Luna County on July 3rd, 2013.

     Perez and Peña both pled guilty to the indictment on May 14th, 2014, without the benefit of plea agreements. Peña was sentenced on March 3, 2015, to 120 months in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release.  Torres entered a guilty plea on April 18th, 2014, and was sentenced on August 28th, 2014, to 10 months in federal prison.

     This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI and the New Mexico HIDTA Regional Interagency Drug Task Force.

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